The Last Black Man in San Francisco (Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: August 27, 2019
Rating: R
Film: 2.5/5

Plot
After Jimmie enlists his best friend Mont to help reclaim the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco, they begin a search for belonging in a rapidly changing city that seems to have left them behind. A wistful odyssey populated by skaters, squatters, street preachers, playwrights, and other locals on the margins, The Last Black Man in San Francisco is a poignant and sweeping story of hometowns and how they’re made — and kept alive — by the people who love them.

My Thoughts
While not a bad film, this didn’t resonate with me one bit. It definitely caters to the NPR crowd, which I’m quite far removed from, so I just couldn’t connect with the characters. Writer/Director Joe Talbot put a lot of TLC into the film, which I can appreciate, but the first act drags quite a bit and I found myself mostly disinterested about halfway through. In fact, my wife left the room and jetted off to bed since she fell asleep while trying to trudge through it.

Besides the pacing, the depiction of modern day San Francisco couldn’t have been more wrong. The city has turned into a cesspool of homelessness, rampant drug use on the streets, and frankly, it’s one of the dirtiest cities on the West Coast. I only live an hour from downtown and venture there—begrudgingly—for business a couple times a month.
Video 4.5/5

Audio 4/5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Joe Talbot
• Ode to the City: Finding The Last Black Man in San Francisco
• Blu-ray+ Digital Copy

Conclusion

If you’re into artsy movies, you may enjoy this more than I did. Maybe it was my mood at the time or the lack of portraying the “real” San Francisco. Frankly, I remember a time when the city was safe and clean and worth the drive to go and visit. Those days are well back in the rear-view mirror now.

Reference Review System:
 
 JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Calman Ultimate & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
 Anthem AVM60 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-980
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
 HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
 SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer
JL Audio Dominion D110 Subwoofer x 2 (configured as tandem mid bass modules)
Mini DSP controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner